Blue Dogs that hijacked health care support War

Well, yesterday was an exciting day. And potentially the peak viewership for Phil the Pill. To sum it up, after an entire night/morning of procrastination, homework, and watching Daily Show/Colbert on Hulu, I decided I finally had time to write a letter to Virignia’s senators about passing health care reform. After essentially writing an ideological speech, I felt very worked up about and attempted to pimp it on the social media sites.

It worked. And I’m glad it got attention, because I do believe in two main things: 1) the private health insurance industry has played with people’s lives and health and should not be allowed in a civilized society and 2) people don’t tell their representatives to do their job or lose their seat often enough.

Getting that much attention made me somewhat insecure too. I didn’t really analyze this issue as thoroughly as I think people should. There are legitimate concerns with the bill supported by House democrats. On one level you could aruge that it doesn’t do enough. On the other you have a serious question of whether the government can manage this properly.

I’m not sidestepping the fact that it’s a complex. But I do support legislators doing something rather than nothing and I believe they should be listening to individual citizens and not lobbyists to conclude what it is that we need. And that’s why I mailed those letters. To send a strong message that I want cheaper, affordable healthcare and that I’m willing to vote for someone who does if they won’t.

Picture related.

On the health care front, mainstream Democrats made deals with the Blue Dog Democrats to tool the House bill on health care. Some concessions have been made which should appeal to some fiscal conservatives.

House Democrats pushed ahead with a compromise health overhaul Thursday over liberals’ complaints, intent on achieving tangible — if modest — success on President Barack Obama’s top domestic priority ahead of a monthlong summer recess.

But the concessions Waxman made to the so-called Blue Dog Democrats infuriated House liberals. They denounced the proposed new structure of the public plan, which was originally designed to be based on Medicare rates. The new structure says rates would be negotiated with providers as occurs now with private companies, which could result in more expensive care.

“This agreement is not a step forward toward a good health care bill, but a large step backwards,” 53 Progressive Caucus members said in a letter to House leaders Thursday. “Any bill that does not provide, at a minimum, for a public option with reimbursement rates based on Medicare rates — not negotiated rates — is unacceptable.”

Some details of the deal remained murky. As part of the agreement the Blue Dogs are insisting they won’t vote for a bill that costs more than $1 trillion over 10 years, but that would require Democrats to make more cuts or raise more money. It wasn’t clear how much, or how it would be accomplished.

I’m not terribly offended by negotiating rates as opposed to imposing rates by law, but who are these “providers” that are separate from doctors? I’ll put it at the list of questions at the bottom.

As long as there is a public option, subsidized for those who truly can’t afford it, I’m happy. But as far as Blue Dogs voting against something that costs more than a $1 trillion over 10 years what about something that will cost over $1 trillion in two years?

Military-Industrial Complex Watch

Crooks and Liars discussed the Defense Appropriations Act of 2010, citing this Washington Post article:

The Democratic-controlled House is poised to give the Pentagon dozens of new ships, planes, helicopters and armored vehicles that Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates says the military does not need to fund next year, acting in many cases in response to defense industry pressures and campaign contributions under an approach he has decried as “business as usual” and vowed to help end.

The unwanted equipment in a military spending bill expected to come to a vote on the House floor Thursday or Friday has a price tag of at least $6.9 billion.

The White House has said that some but not all of the extra expenditures could draw a presidential veto of the Defense Department’s entire $636 billion budget for 2010, and it sent a message to House lawmakers Tuesday urging them to cut expenditures for items that “duplicate existing programs, or that have outlived their usefulness.”

Roughly $2.75 billion of the extra funds — all of which were unanimously approved in an 18-minute markup Monday by the House Appropriations Committee — would finance “earmarks,” or projects demanded by individual lawmakers that the Pentagon did not request. About half of that amount reflects spending requested by private firms, including 95 companies or related political action committees that donated a total of $789,190 in the past 2 1/2 years to members of the appropriations subcommittee on defense, according to an analysis by Taxpayers for Common Sense, a nonprofit watchdog group.

The White House criticized the addition of $80 million for the Kinetic Energy Interceptor program, which Gates and other Pentagon officials have said is technically troubled, behind schedule, and billions of dollars over budget. But Northrop Grumman, the principal contractor, is building a technology center in Murtha‘s district that would bring 150 related jobs, and Murtha’s subcommittee sought its continuation as a way “to recoup the technology,” according to an appropriations staff member, who was not authorized to speak on the record.

A spokesman for Murtha did not reply to a request for comment.

The latest vote on the has been, surprise, overwhelmingly in favor. Those opposed included Barney Frank, Ron Paul, and Dennis Kucinich. None of them are Blue Dogs. C&L questioned whether the BDs helped this pork-barrel legislation too. I wondered if perhaps they weren’t talking out of their ass. So I looked up the list of Blue Dog Democrats in the House.

Okay, get your buzzers ready. How many of the 49 Blue Dog Democrats in the House opposed this bill with at least $6.9 billion in earmarks and, one could argue, wasted money in campaigns to kill innocent people and lose hearts and minds in the Middle East?

Time’s up. One. Representative Parker Griffith of Alabama.

Congratulations, represenative Griifith! You win the Consistency in the Face of Mind-Boggling Hypocrisy Award!

So, I get it. Healthcare spending? Wasteful. Defense spending? AMURRRIKUH!

I tried to avoid criticism of the Blue Dogs until now. But now it’s clear that they should just stop posing as “fiscal conservatives” and just admit it – they’re neocons trying to get gay, black votes. Well, any candidate campaigning as a “Blue Dog” in my districit isn’t getting THIS gay, black vote.

Er…straight, Latino vote.

I leave you on the political note with a 10-minute video on what we have money for.

The video, from the American Friends Service Committe points out how one day of the Iraq war costs $720 million per day. In addition to health care, that could be 6,482 homes, 34,904 scholarships for four year universities, higher pay for teachers, 1,274,336 homes with alternative energy, or 1,153,846 free lunches for children.

It’s enough to make you consider voting for Ron Paul.

All right, it’s late. I wonder where I can find funny pictures…maybe 4chan…OH, DEAR, GOD, NO!

Quote of the Day

Suicidal glory is the luxury of the irresponsible. We’re not giving up. We’re waiting for a better opportunity to win. – Lois McMaster Bujold

Questions for Readers

What “providers” are being referenced in the amendments to the health care bill? Who do we need to worry about paying their fair share other than doctors?

Is Robert Gates a good Secretary of Defense?

How much do you think we could be saving on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan?

If Blue Dogs are fiscal conservatives, why are they voting for this much spending in the defense budget?

Healthcare Bill – Eat this or pay up

The Botom Line: This supposed healthcare bill that was supposed to lead to socialized healthcare is just the government creating another crappy, bureaucratic provider of swill while taxing those who aren’t content with any of the providers out there.
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It’s 10:43 at night and I just spent hours discussing the merits of using force against a tyrannical government, perceived or actual, among other things. I’ve also played with the new kitten (pictures forthcoming?)

This afternoon I received a story assignment on the weighty issue of concealed carry permit reciprocity, a.k.a. should states honor other states’ standards for concealed carriers when it comes to non-residents and ignore their own? Knowing I’d get no response, I decided to leave messages with Mark Warner, Jim Webb, and the sponsor of the bill, South Dakotan senator John Thune.

I also helped moderate a game of Bingo for high school journalism students current attending J-Camp at Virginia Tech.

But what I wanted to blog about all day, with Michael Steele and Obama going at it in the national media over this issue, is healthcare.

Prepare to enter the ****storm.
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The way I understand it there are two things going on here. One is the familiar debate of who should we trust to provide healthcare. The private, profit-seeking system? Or a public option with all the flaws and benefits of a tax-supported bureaucracy? The second thing that is happening is the actual legislation that is on the table. And I don’t really hear much about that from the mainstream media. So…let’s look into that.

What seems to be the problem?…Can you fill that out in triplicate?

Here is the bill that is currently going through the House of Represenatatives on OpenCongress.

Here’s some of what’s in it:

• The bill seems to allow existing coverage to stand so long as: a) people don’t enroll in this type of coverage after the bill was passed, b) the insurer doesn’t change the conditions, and c) insurer doesn’t target a specific group for premium increases
• It gives companies a “grace period,” looks like 5 years to pick plans that meet the standards.
• The bill outright says a “qualified health plan” (managed care program from a self-insured employer) may not impose pre-existing conidtions. It also limits the variance of premium rates (a.k.a. makes it harder to jack them up).
• Minimum services to be covered under qualified health plan: hospitalization, outpatient care, physician services, prescription drugs, rehabilitative and habilitative services, mental health and substance use disorder services, preventive services, maternity care, well baby, well child care, oral health, vision, hearing services to “children” under 21 years of age.
• Creation of a Health Benefits Advisory Committee and a Health Choices Administrator run by a Health Choices commisioner to enforce the above regulations as well as state regulations
• Has a subtitle for consumer protections in quality health benefits plans including fair marketing practices, grievance and appeals mechanisms, information transparency, timely payment of claims.
• Sets up a “health insurance exchange” to facilitate acceess to a variety of choices, including the public health option.
• There is currently a public option listed in the bill a.k.a. government-sponsored healthcare. It is only available through the Health Insurance Exchange (does this mean you need existing insurance before you can get it?) and must comply with the same standards as the other Exchange plans. It can offer basic, enhancd, premium and premium-plus plans (it sounds like they’re selling you a credit card).
• The Secretary of Health and Human Services sets the premiums and the bill calls for initial funding of $2 billion (which is paid back by the department of HHS). The premiums will be set at Medicare rates (I didn’t realize you paid premiums for Medicare?)
• If you make less than $43,000/yr as an individual or $88,000/yr for a family of four, the government will subsidize your premiums for the public option. Though, I think you have to get Medicaid if you’re eligible for it.
• Some reforms start in 2010, but it seems most of it doesn’t go into effect into 2013 (conveniently timed, no?)
• If you don’t have coverage (and you are deemed by the IRS as someone who can afford it), you pay a tax of 2.5% your adjusted gross income without exceeding the national premium. Sort of like the uninsured motorist fee, I suppose, except now we’re not just trying to charge you for potentially stiffing me on car repairs. We’re trying to charge you for not taking care of yourself. Shame on you, taxpayer. Shame on you. Get healthcare. *rolls eyes*

While I have no sympathy for the douchebag with the scarf paying 50% taxes, I feel sad that the cute chick on the bottom has to pay a “no health care tax” (also, that her birth control isn’t covered).

• Emloyers are obliged to provide healthcare or provide funds for healthcare, but small business get a tax credit that exempts them from this.
• The rich will pay this in healthcare taxes: 1% gross adjusted income for people making between $350K and $500K. 1.5% for those making between $500K and $1 million. And 5.4% from those making $1 million or more.
• The program expands Medicaid eligibility levels and supposedly improves Medicare and Medicaid (wow! how can it get any better??)
• Undocumented aliens receive no coverage.

So….that’s the big fixing of U.S. healthcare? This…

This sucks.

Someone somewhere (maybe some hobo on the street) led me to believe that voting for Obama meant someday I could look forward to breaking my groin bone and rolling into any hospital, waiting in excruciating pain for hours, getting treated like shit by a state-paid doctor and then leaving with a bandage on my groin without having paid a cent. I would prefer that to this.

While it doesn’t sound like the bill is particularly kind to health insurers, it doesn’t seem to provide any sort of strong competition that would make them really buck up. I support all the rules about not denying customers based on pre-existings and providing a minimum of things to cover, but…why does my public option look suspiciously like standard health insurance? Where is my magical, mediocore but free care that I need to have to go back to a doctor and let him feel my balls? Where is that?

Premiums? What? Why not just tax me? Isn’t that how the government is supposed to make money?

YOU’RE DEMOCRATS. TAX ME. TAX ME!! And tax those damn suburbanites too, not just those making over $350,000. But don’t offer me more damn premium insurance plans with varying degrees of ball-busting. Give me a nation of free clinics. Do it! Do it!

The reason I’m out of the capacity for reasoned argument is because it’s 3 in the morning. I just spend hours looking at that damn bill and it’s stupid. It doesn’t do enough and I’m not sure if it even provides tangible benefits. Though it does say that if I’m still not satisfied with any insurer that I get to pay a fee.

Fuck you, government. Seriously, eat a dick. That’s all I can say at this hour.

Oh, but here’s a guy who liked it. I’m jealous. I wish I could be content with a sack of poop wrapped in an elephant’s foreskin.

Picture unrelated?

What do you think?

Is this an improvement to the current healthcare system? Will we ever see the day when you can walk into a hospital and never get charged for it?